Jeffrey Kramer and the Center for Healthcare & Insurance Studies
Storrs, CT (4/25/2007) - With two trillion dollars of expenditures each year, the healthcare industry is one of the largest and most rapidly growing in the United States - and as much of a business as anything else. It takes its own seat at every board meeting in every industry – from transportation and advertising to technology and agriculture. So, it comes as no surprise that - as baby-boomers reach retirement age - healthcare initiatives will continue to play an increasingly critical role in business strategy. Rooted deep within UConn’s tradition of academic excellence and public service, the Center for Healthcare & Insurance Studies at the School of Business harbors a lion-hearted goal of responding head-on to the changing dynamics of the healthcare industry. With an exceedingly large number of health organizations in Connecticut alone, it comes with little surprise that the Center’s programs tend to be popular among prospective students and program participants, and highly valued by Connecticut insurance companies.
“Healthcare permeates every industry, from coffee to cars. GM currently has healthcare and benefits costs of over $5.2 billion – they’re spending more for healthcare benefits than for car parts. This creates a significant challenge because their competitors in Europe and Japan don’t have those costs. We’re the only country that has this link between employers and healthcare” notes Professor Jeffrey Kramer, the Center’s Director.
With a Ph.D. and MBA in Healthcare Management, and research interest in long-term healthcare management and managed care systems, Kramer brought experience and passion for healthcare with him to UConn in 1981, when he became part of the Center, which was established in 1976 by his predecessor, Professor Joseph Emerzian. He remembers the difference in the program from its current structure.
“At the time, it was a management engineering program. We took industrial engineering techniques and applied them to healthcare. It slowly began to change because the field was changing and we needed to alter how we trained our students. We became part of the finance department, which reflected the importance of risk management and we changed the curriculum to offer a greater emphasis on financial, analytical, and consulting skills.”
What emerged is a nationally recognized program that is one of the best in its field. The Center’s goal is to support healthcare research, teaching and service at the University of Connecticut and to assist Connecticut businesses, healthcare institutions, and consumers in their pursuit of affordable, high-quality healthcare.
To help attain what may seem like a lofty goal, the Center has attracted some of the top researchers in the country, including Professor Rex Santerre, renowned for his work in health economics, and Professor John Vernon, a nationally recognized pharmaeconomics expert who was also recently appointed Senior Economic Policy Advisor to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
With the healthcare industry rapidly moving to consumer-directed healthcare plans, Dr. Kramer stays busy keeping the course content up-to-date. The Center oversees much of the curriculum for the School’s healthcare concentrations at the undergraduate and master’s level and offers specialized certificate programs in areas such as long-term health care management, health systems management, and healthcare information technology.
The Center also offers custom-designed programs, which meet the educational training needs of healthcare-related organizations. Specialized in-house training programs have been created for some of UConn’s most active partner companies, including Aetna, CIGNA Healthcare, ConnectiCare, Connecticut Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Office of Health Care Access, Travelers, United Health Care, Waterbury Hospital, and others.
“Accounting principles don’t change often, but healthcare textbooks are outdated in six months,” says Dr. Kramer. “We ensure our students are aware of the changes and we get them involved in present day projects so they understand and learn first-hand the current landscape of healthcare.”
As part of the MBA program, students in the Healthcare and Insurance Studies concentration are exposed to issues that affect healthcare from financial and economic perspectives, as well as understanding sound leadership practices within the context of health care settings.
Kramer also points to the increasing complexities of business within the healthcare field. “An emerging trend is financial services becoming involved in healthcare. How will consumers use their American Express Cards when dealing with healthcare? This is an incredible opportunity for UConn students to be involved in the change of healthcare,” comments Dr. Kramer.
Dr. Kramer’s extensive connections to the healthcare industry are critical in keeping curriculum up-to-date. He heads the Center’s mentoring program, which links industry leaders with students for one-on-one mentoring. An advisory board, comprised of 23 senior executives in healthcare, provides a valuable link to multiple sectors of the industry. The board advises on academic programs, research initiatives, and outreach activities, and many members also participate in the mentoring program. Kramer’s extensive knowledge of the managed care industry led to his recent invitation to serve as one of two national judges for the HealthLeaders Media “Top Leadership Teams in Healthcare” competition for health plans across the country.
One current member of the Center’s Advisory Board is MasterCard’s VP of Healthcare Solutions, Jennifer Vanderwall. As a graduate of both the UConn MBA program and undergraduate program in Healthcare Management, she sees the impact that the mentoring program has had on students.
“The mentoring program enables students to learn more about the many career paths within the healthcare system,” says Jennifer. “Mentors teach students about their careers and can connect them with professionals in other areas of the healthcare industry – and many students are able to leverage these networking opportunities to obtain internships or full time positions.”
As the Center celebrated its 30th anniversary this past year, Dr. Kramer reflected on his time at the Center. “Each year is different and we are continuously assessing the program’s effectiveness. I like that my position isn’t typical or traditional. It’s a great opportunity to interact with students and the industry and to work on new initiatives.”
And his colleague Dr. Vernon couldn’t agree more. “The success of the program is due first and foremost to Jeff’s efforts. His dedication to students and his passion for healthcare management studies are simply unparalleled. I believe he has established a legacy that will forever be a part of the UConn tradition.”
PHOTO: Dr. Jeffrey Kramer
School of Business Pressroom
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